Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking with (a) employers and (b) further education providers to help ensure the post-16 curriculum is aligned with the future needs of the UK workforce.

The department is developing a comprehensive strategy for post‐16 education and skills, to break down barriers to opportunity, support the development of a skilled workforce, and drive economic growth through our Industrial Strategy.

My noble Friend, the Minister for Skills’ keynote speech on 12 November at the Association of Colleges conference recommitted to this pledge, and to working collaboratively with the sector to bring forward this strategy, building on the Curriculum and Assessment Review, the introduction of Skills England, and with a continued focus on lifelong learning.

This will launch an opportunity for further and higher education sectors, local government, learners, and employers to shape the government’s long-term strategy for skills, as well as work across government to ensure the department leverages skills in driving progress against all government missions.

Skills England is being established to build a high-skill, high-productivity workforce that is matched to employers’ needs. It will unify the skills landscape by bringing together large and small businesses with training providers, regional actors, national government, unions and other key partners. It will identify priority skills gaps, help ensure the growth and skills offer delivers value for money, meets the needs of business and ensure that the workforce is equipped with the skills needed to power economic growth.

Skills England will provide authoritative assessments of national and regional skills needs now and for the future, combining the best available statistical data with insights generated from employers and other key stakeholders.

This deep understanding of skills needs will provide a solid platform on which central government, Skills England, employers, providers, unions and regional organisations can come together to make effective decisions on where to focus to close skills gaps and mismatches. It will work closely with the Industrial Strategy Council to ensure that training schemes drive growth in the national economy.

Its work will include ensuring that there is a comprehensive suite of apprenticeships, training and technical qualifications available that are aligned with what employers need. It will also play a crucial role in identifying which training should be eligible for the Growth and Skills offer and will work closely with employers to ensure that occupational standards meet their needs.

Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) also give employers a more strategic role in the skills system and support the department’s long-term priority to drive local economic growth. Across all areas of England, LSIPs have helped engage thousands of local businesses and have brought them together with local providers and stakeholders to collaboratively agree and deliver actions to better align provision of post-16 technical education and training with local labour market needs.